Sanitary garment



1933. J. FRIEMAN 1,924,642

SANITARY GARMENT Filed Nov. 11, 1950 Tin E- ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT F- CE Application November 11 1930 Serial No. 494,943

This invention relates to improvements in sanitary garments, and particularly of that type which embodies a protective apron in conjunctio with a catamenial absorbent holder.

The invention is characterized as to novelty by the provision of supporting means for such a garment which permit of free natural movements of the body without imparting to the garment binding stresses which would tend to cause undue pressure in the crotch and consequent chafing and discomfort.

It is further an object to provide such an arrangement and construction of the article as will insure full protection against leakage likely'to soil the nether garments or the adjacent parts of the limbs of the wearer.

One of the main features of my invention resides in the provision of a specially deviced pocket in which the absorbent material is adapted to be disposed, the construction being such that the tension of the supporting means. in the use of the article is not transmitted to the absorbent which is, therefore, not compressed and remains free to perform its absorptive function to the maximum extent.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a view showing the garment in applied position upon the wearer from the back;

Fig. 2 is a similar view from the front;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the garment alone; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view about on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and showing the arrangement of the special pocket for the absorbent material.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the body portion ofv the garment comprises the fabric section 1 at the back which is preferably of a knit material so as to have the maximum stretching and snug-fitting characteristics, and the thin rubber elastic section 2 connected to the section 1 and extending preferably from the buttocks to a point approximately midway of the abdomen. This elastic portion 2 is comparatively wide at the back so as to insure protection while in a sitting posture but 1 narrows somewhat where passing through the crotch. By making this portion of the garment of two correspondingly shaped sections 2a and 2b connected by a median seam of stitching 20, it is possible to easily let into this element a pocket 3 at an intermediate position, the seam lines of the upper edges of which will precisely seat in the opposing lateral creases of the body at the crotch and thereby tend to prevent any escape of the fluid above the edges of the pocket.

The pocket member itself, as shown in Fig. 4,

is of sufficient length and depth to receive a supply of absorbent cotton, sponge material, or the like, but owing to the pocket formation, one half of the usual quantity only is required. In order to form such a pocket in the rubber material, it

is desirable to construct it of two moon-shaped sections connected together by an internally faced seam 4. The size and independence of the pocket prevents .the absorbent from being compressed and it will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that the adjacent parts of the sections 2a and 219 form side flaps snugly fitting against the insides of the legs.

It remains now to refer to the supporting means for the garment and in this connection my method of support is distinct. At the waist ,I provide an elastic belt preferably, designated 5, to which the apron section is connected at the back. Tie strings 6, 6 are connected at each side to the edge of the garment at the back and the edge at the front, respectively, thus providing for tying around each leg and drawing the garment laterally. In addition to these leg ties, I secure to the back of the garment atea ch side and 35 at a'point intermediate the ties 6, 6 and the belt 5, an adjustable hip strap 7 having a hook 7a to engage in an eye 8 secured to the upper front corner of the section 2. The necessary tension may thus be imparted to the garment at the front in a lateral direction instead of verticallyup the abdomen, as when a strap is connected to the front of the waist belt. This gives rise to several important results: (1) undesired pressure on the abdomen is eliminated and strain 1011- gitudinally of the median line which tends to narrow the garment at the crotch is prevented; (2) release of support incident to bending over or sitting is overcome; and (3) the lateral stressing tends to hold open the mouth of the pocket. In 1 this way, the garment is held at all times snugly.

smoothly and comfortably on the body, -free from I liklihood of detection from the outsideof the. overgarments. Access to the pocket is rendered easy by releasing one of the hooks 7a only.

It is to be understood that I- do not wish to be confined to the particular materials herein described or prevented from making slight changes in the details of the invention within the scope no of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sanitary garment of the class described comprising a body portion adapted to extend from the waist line at the back downwardly between the legs to a point at the base of the abdomen, a belt strap to which the body is attached to the back waist line, a pocket section for holding absorbent material let into the body portion, and means for supporting the garment at the front from the back portion of the garment, comprising leg ties connected at one of their ends to-the sides of the garment at the front and at the other ends to the sides of the garment at the back, and hip straps intermediate the leg ties and the belt extending laterally around the hips wholly inspaced relation to the belt and connected to the body portion at the back at points substantially below the waist line, and adapted to be fastened to the front of the garment.

2. A sanitary garment of the class described comprising a body portion composed of a back section of stretchable material and a front section of rubberized material, said front section 

